Head of Research & Methodologies

Title: Head of Research & Methodologies
Location: SF or NYC preferred, open to Remote 
Compensation: Commensurate with experience
Contact: Lindsey Bartlett - lbartlett@smithhanley.com 
 

AI-Native Insights Platform | High-Growth Startup

Why Join at This Stage

This is a rare opportunity to join a fast-scaling, AI-powered insights platform at a true inflection point. The product is already winning with enterprise customers, insights are spreading virally inside organizations, and research is directly influencing real decisions — not just decks.

What’s needed now is senior research leadership to define the standard for how insights are delivered, trusted, and scaled in an AI-native world. You won’t be inheriting a mature organization with rigid rules. You’ll be helping to build the playbook — shaping how research drives product direction, executive decision-making, and long-term customer value.

This role offers real ownership, close partnership with founders and product leadership, and the chance to build a core function that directly impacts growth.

The Role

The Head of Research & Methodologies will build and lead the Insights Strategy function, sitting at the intersection of research, product, customer success, and revenue. Insights are not a support function here — they are central to customer retention, expansion, and company momentum.

What You’ll Do

• Build and lead the Insights Strategy function, defining vision, standards, and operating model

• Establish best practices for onboarding, insight delivery, and executive-level storytelling

• Serve as the senior research voice partnering with product, AI, and engineering teams

• Translate customer patterns into product and positioning strategy

• Act as a trusted, customer-facing research advisor supporting retention, expansion, and escalations

• Evolve how qualitative and quantitative insights are synthesized, packaged, and communicated

• Experiment with AI-enabled workflows to deliver insights faster and more effectively

Who You Are

• 10–15+ years across research, insights, strategy, consulting, or analytics-driven roles

• Proven experience in early-stage or high-growth environments

• Deep, hands-on knowledge of end-to-end qual and quant research

• Comfortable advising enterprise clients with a commercial mindset

• Highly operational, systems-oriented, and quality-driven

• Thrives in ambiguity and takes full ownership